weapons

Went to weapons today. We worked on nunchuck dai ichi and kama dai ichi. While I've been away, they have changed some things on each kata. Why? Well, I guess over time some things have been tweaked and tweaked until they are all of a sudden different than the original intention. So at some point, Kyoshi took a closer look and fixed them. One big change is what hand we hold the small weapons in while bowing in and out of the kata. We all had been holding them in our left hand-which was non-confrontational. Along time ago in Japan, students were all forced to become right-handed so holding their weapons in the left hand meant they weren't going to attack. Well NOW...we have been told to hold them in the right hand because we actually ARE attacking. sigh. And we hold them in the left hand when we bow out of the kata..because apparently, we've already attacked, now we're done with attacking and we are peaceful again.
Another change, in Nunchuck dai ichi, there is a move where you step forward and squat down and do some figure 8s. Well they've changed that to a one knee position instead of the squat. THANK YOU! much better-i never felt very stable in that squat position and had a major fear of tipping over. And the other change is with Kama dai ichi, There is a stance change in the middle. I don't remember exactly what the stance we were in before was, but it changed into a horse stance, then is twisted into a weird back-stance/horse stance kind of thing.
AND.... I whacked my knuckles with my nunchucks. It hurt.

It feels really good to be back in karate. And by “really good” I mean very sore and bruised, but happy. I went to Monday and Wednesday class last week, both are taught by Kyoshi. Luckily for me, Kyoshi was not there on Monday, which meant he didn’t have to go thru the torture of watching me screw up royally. Sensei D and Renshi S taught class that night so it was a bit less bad-ass than it usually is. Doing some of the bunkai was down right embarrassing, though. It was good to see my karate friends. Wednesday’s class was better. We did a ton of kata and the only ones I really messed up on were Kihon Ichidan, Nidan, and Sandan. The first 3 kata we learn. The most basic of the basics and was totally off. Oh well, what are you gonna do. I wasn't practicing those at home the past 6 months. We also did a bunch of arm conditioning. That always feels good :( Anyway, my goal is to go every Monday and Wednesday night for regular class and Saturday for weapons. I think we have sparring this week. oh boy..

Frotoe, "Get your a** back to class -we miss you" Kyoshi

I got an email from Kyoshi. I better do what he says....I'm in such bad shape right now, trying to do kata at home with weights on my arms and legs just isn't cutting it. Its been 6 months for crying out loud!